Compare towns
Rowley vs Wakefield vs Ipswich
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Rowley has the most homeowners (81.7%).
Wakefield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+8.7%).
Ipswich has the highest household income ($139k).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Rowley | Wakefield | Ipswich |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 6,251Lowest |
27,793Highest |
13,930 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +5.2% MA: +7.4% |
+8.7%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+4.6%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 50±6.3Highest 25% above MA |
42.4±1.7Lowest 6% above MA |
47.2±3.5 18% above MA |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 19.3%±4.5 MA: 19.4% |
20%±2.2Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.7Lowest MA: 19.4% |
| Wakefield and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 21.6%±4.1 MA: 17.9% |
19%±1.9Lowest MA: 17.9% |
21.9%±2.4Highest MA: 17.9% |
| Ipswich and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 56.8%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
59.7% MA: 47.3% |
60.2%Highest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.8%±2.2Highest MA: 7.9% |
4.4%±0.9 MA: 7.9% |
4.1%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
| Rowley and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $132,734±$32kLowest 28% above MA |
$134,306±$14k 29% above MA |
$138,750±$16kHighest 33% above MA |
| Ipswich and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $667,300±$52kLowest 19% above MA |
$723,500±$24k 29% above MA |
$745,400±$40kHighest 33% above MA |
| Ipswich and Wakefield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,603±$520 9% below MA |
$1,958±$102Highest 11% above MA |
$1,598±$90Lowest 9% below MA |
| Wakefield and Rowley are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,309Highest 39% above MA |
$7,779Lowest 30% above MA |
$7,960 33% above MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 57.7%±27.3Highest MA: 51.8% |
43.7%±7.9Lowest MA: 51.8% |
51.5%±12.2 MA: 51.8% |
| Rowley and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 3.1%Lowest MA: 10% |
4.9% MA: 10% |
5.7%Highest MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 81.7%Highest MA: 62.5% |
70.7%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
74.4% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1975Highest 11 yrs newer than MA |
1956Lowest 8 yrs older than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 28 minLowest 3% below MA |
33 minHighest 14% above MA |
29 min about the MA average |
| Work from home | 11.1%±4Lowest MA: 18.6% |
24.6%±3.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
18.9%±3.8 MA: 18.6% |
| Wakefield and Ipswich are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #214 of 282 in MA | #179 of 282 in MA | #101 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Triton | — | Ipswich |
| High school in town | None in town | — | Ipswich High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | — | 9.0 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.